e-Key v3 - Cardiospermum
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Sapindaceae - Cardiospermum L.

Description :

  • Herbaceous climbers with tendrils, dioecious, with occasional bisexual flowers
  • Leaves 3-foliolate, or biternately compound, usually stipulate; leaflets lobed, toothed, or cut
  • Flowers irregular; in axillary racemes or panicles; peduncle with a pair of tendrils at summit or with abortive pedicels
  • Sepals 4, broadly imbricate, anterior and posterior ones larger
  • Petals 4, with petaloid appendages, each with a hairy, reflexed lobe near apex
  • Disc unilateral, of 2 glands between petals and stamens
  • Stamens 8; filaments unequal, free or connate at base, linear, hairy
  • Ovary 3-locular, sometimes 3-angled, sessile or stalked; with a single, axile ovule in each locule, sometimes villous; style short, 3-fid, or styles free
  • Fruit an inflated, membranous capsule
  • Seeds black, globose, with a white, ovate to reniform hilum
  • x = 11 (7, 10)

Nomenclature:

  • Cardiospermum L.
    • Linnaeus: 366 (1753)
    • Sonder: 237 (1860)
    • Bowden: 508 (1966)
    • Fouilloy & Hallé: 16 (1973)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 12-20, predominantly tropical America
  • Southern Africa : Species 4, Namibia, Northern Province, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape

References:

  • BOWDEN, L.F. 1966. Cardiospermum L. Flora zambesiaca 2, 2
  • FOUILLOY, R. & HALLÉ, N. 1973. Sapindacées. Flore du Cameroun 16. Also reprinted in Flore du Gabon 23
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum , edn 1. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • SONDER, O.W. 1860. Sapindaceae . Flora capensis 1